Uncovered Tattoos and work.

[Spud1985]

where there is a need, there is a way ....

[spud989]

I have a large biomechanical piece on my upper right arm - it's virtually a half sleeve. I've had it for 7 ish years. Currently a senior-ish member of staff in a secondary school.

It just about pokes out underneath a short-sleeved shirt and is semi-visible through certain thin white shirts, but other than that it's fairly hidden. The head doesn't particularly like them (though she doesn't actively ask me to cover it up), but she's rather enamoured with me adding 28% to her English GCSE results in the last two years and making it the highest-achieving department in the town .

If you're OK at what you do then people aren't going to get hung up on tattoos unless they're really, really prominent or distasteful.

[bad company]

spud989 said:

I have a large biomechanical piece on my upper right arm - it's virtually a half sleeve. I've had it for 7 ish years. Currently a senior-ish member of staff in a secondary school.

It just about pokes out underneath a short-sleeved shirt and is semi-visible through certain thin white shirts, but other than that it's fairly hidden. The head doesn't particularly like them (though she doesn't actively ask me to cover it up), but she's rather enamoured with me adding 28% to her English GCSE results in the last two years and making it the highest-achieving department in the town .

If you're OK at what you do then people aren't going to get hung up on tattoos unless they're really, really prominent or distasteful.

OK at what you do is great BUT, what if you don't get to start because the hirer didn't like your appearance?

[Brads67]

bad company said:

OK at what you do is great BUT, what if you don't get to start because the hirer didn't like your appearance?

Then the hirer is shallow and narrow minded and has lost out due to his or her prejudice.

[bad company]

Brads67 said:

bad company said:

OK at what you do is great BUT, what if you don't get to start because the hirer didn't like your appearance?

Then the hirer is shallow and narrow minded and has lost out due to his or her prejudice.

That'll be a LOT of hirers then, including me.

Visible tattoos have a negative effect on job prospects in many (probably most) industries.

Edited by bad company on Saturday 8th October 15:29

[WD39]

[quote=spud989 The head doesn't particularly like them (though she doesn't actively ask me to cover it up), but she's rather enamoured with me adding 28% to her English GCSE results in the last two years and making it the highest-achieving department in the town .


[/quote]

These days that would probably be 'Tattoo discrimination'.

Department? Wouldn't that be a team effort?

Edited by WD39 on Saturday 8th October 09:13

[ChasW]

spud989 said:

I have a large biomechanical piece on my upper right arm - it's virtually a half sleeve. I've had it for 7 ish years. Currently a senior-ish member of staff in a secondary school.

It just about pokes out underneath a short-sleeved shirt and is semi-visible through certain thin white shirts, but other than that it's fairly hidden. The head doesn't particularly like them (though she doesn't actively ask me to cover it up), but she's rather enamoured with me adding 28% to her English GCSE results in the last two years and making it the highest-achieving department in the town .

If you're OK at what you do then people aren't going to get hung up on tattoos unless they're really, really prominent or distasteful.

Pardon my ignorance but does biomechanical mean that the graphic is possibly a representation of that limb under the skin?

Also do you think the HM may have taken a softer view if you'd had some verse or a famous short poem inscribed instead? A couple of verses of John Cooper Clarke may have triggered interest among the pupils.

[spud989]

WD39 said:

These days that would probably be 'Tattoo discrimination'.

Department? Wouldn't that be a team effort?

It was and I would never claim otherwise - it would be nonsense to. But, by far, I had the largest input into it - to claim otherwise would, also, be nonsense.

ChasW said:

spud989 said:

I have a large biomechanical piece on my upper right arm - it's virtually a half sleeve. I've had it for 7 ish years. Currently a senior-ish member of staff in a secondary school.

It just about pokes out underneath a short-sleeved shirt and is semi-visible through certain thin white shirts, but other than that it's fairly hidden. The head doesn't particularly like them (though she doesn't actively ask me to cover it up), but she's rather enamoured with me adding 28% to her English GCSE results in the last two years and making it the highest-achieving department in the town .

If you're OK at what you do then people aren't going to get hung up on tattoos unless they're really, really prominent or distasteful.

Pardon my ignorance but does biomechanical mean that the graphic is possibly a representation of that limb under the skin?

Also do you think the HM may have taken a softer view if you'd had some verse or a famous short poem inscribed instead? A couple of verses of John Cooper Clarke may have triggered interest among the pupils.

She didn't really take a 'hard view', to be honest. Not long after starting I asked her about them/mine, just so I knew where I stood. She explained her views. I mostly keep it hidden, but she really doesn't mind a short-sleeved shirt in the summer with it very partially on display.

Think of it like this. My predecessor ran the department into the ground. She also wore what the head and those close to her considered to be outfits inappropriate to school and not just in the way you think (wearing a coat continually indoors/in lessons, etc.). It was another minor niggle amongst many more majors ones. But if you've got the major stuff going well, no-one comes after you for anything very minor. Why rock the boat when it's sailing in the right direction. I adopt the same mantra with the staff in my department. Sure, 1/2 could do some things a little better here and there - but, for the most part, they worked damned hard, they all want the right things and they pull together for the sake of the school/kids/dept. You pick your battles; it's the same with the kids and behaviour.

Oh, and biomechanical refers to the combination of man and machine in the artwork. Generally it means that something beneath the skin - often computerised/mechanical/engineering in design - is poking out/blended with your natural skin tone and the lines of your body. Have a look on Google images.

[BJG1]

bad company said:

That'll be a LOT of hirers then, including me.

Visible tattoos have a negative effect on job prospects in many (probably most) industries.

Edited by bad company on Saturday 8th October 15:29

That doesn't make it right, though. It just makes you a bit of a knob

[bad company]

BJG1 said:

bad company said:

That'll be a LOT of hirers then, including me.

Visible tattoos have a negative effect on job prospects in many (probably most) industries.

Edited by bad company on Saturday 8th October 15:29

That doesn't make it right, though. It just makes you a bit of a knob

Ah the name calling response. Well done!

Edited by bad company on Tuesday 11th October 03:45

[Robertj21a]

BJG1 said:

That doesn't make it right, though. It just makes you a bit of a knob

Not sure how it makes him a knob just because he's saying what many people would agree with. Prominent tattoos, particularly if on the face or neck, are always going to restrict job prospects.

[BJG1]

Robertj21a said:

Not sure how it makes him a knob just because he's saying what many people would agree with. Prominent tattoos, particularly if on the face or neck, are always going to restrict job prospects.

The poster he was referring to doesn't have a face or neck tattoo.

Lots of people can be knobs.

[xjay1337]

Interestingly at my last place, HR Director loved my tattoos.

I got on well with her

[Zoon]

BJG1 said:

That doesn't make it right, though. It just makes you a bit of a knob

Not really, if people think tattoos make someone look less trustworthy etc. then it's up to them.

Similarly if a vicar turned up with a nose ring and full mohawk sprayed purple the congregation may well be wary.

It's how the world works, not exclusively with tattoos.

[xjay1337]

Zoon said:

Not really, if people think tattoos make someone look less trustworthy etc. then it's up to them.

Similarly if a vicar turned up with a nose ring and full mohawk sprayed purple the congregation may well be wary.

It's how the world works, not exclusively with tattoos.

there was a series of pictures online where it showed doctors and nurses who were covered head to toe in tattoos (except their face) saying don't judge my tattoos.

don't judge.
just because the world judges doesn't make it right.
less than 100 years ago the world thought black people and jews were lesser than white people from germany.
let's not let bigotry lead our hearts into a dark place over anything else eh

[ChasW]

xjay1337 said:

Zoon said:

Not really, if people think tattoos make someone look less trustworthy etc. then it's up to them.

Similarly if a vicar turned up with a nose ring and full mohawk sprayed purple the congregation may well be wary.

It's how the world works, not exclusively with tattoos.

there was a series of pictures online where it showed doctors and nurses who were covered head to toe in tattoos (except their face) saying don't judge my tattoos.

don't judge.
just because the world judges doesn't make it right.
less than 100 years ago the world thought black people and jews were lesser than white people from germany.
let's not let bigotry lead our hearts into a dark place over anything else eh

Big difference. The oppressed that you refer to had no choice in the matter.

[Brads67]

A Jew can choose not to be a Jew, so I`m afraid your mistaken there.

[ChasW]

Brads67 said:

A Jew can choose not to be a Jew, so I`m afraid your mistaken there.

Maybe technically but not in reality. The accepted position is that you are born a Jew otherwise why didn't any of those poor people try it in the 30s. The holocaust needn't have happened!

I don't know of any examples. I know someone who has converted from Catholicism in order to marry a Jew but that is just the religious dimension.

[xjay1337]

So it's only a choice when it suits you?

[WD39]

xjay1337 said:

Interestingly at my last place, HR Director loved my tattoos.

I got on well with her

One person out of dozens/hundreds.

That's like someone saying 'My girlfriend loves my pony tail', When all others think 'tool'.

Edited by WD39 on Tuesday 11th October 16:25